Community Highlights
Top content from across the community, hand-picked by us.

Common Buzzard Transit
+Ibbo posted a topic in Solar,
Well done to Steve on capturing this stunning image!
- 10 replies

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Craig,
Kelling 2022 Booking
Sheila posted a topic in Kelling 2022,
222 Sheila going confirmed
223 EMS pitch going confirmed
224 Daz going confirmed
225 Mike
226 C Golder
227
228 Stephen going confirmed
229 G4SJI
230 Tasking going confirmed
231. Dennis
237 Ibbo
238 Dave JW going confirmed
239 Geezanova
240 Allan
241
Sheila
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- 18 replies

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Craig,.jpg.0ea3b412ebdadc31a29194537401ed90.jpg)
Important: Kelling 2022
Sheila posted a topic in Kelling 2022,
e mails saying they will only hold pitches until 8.11.21
I will do my best to sort it all out again if they allow, but you must let me know asap if you will be going. We do not want to lose the best pitches if we can avoid it.
They are asking for folks to book via phone which should be fun as they are not too good at answering the phone LOL
Also I note that there are extra charges now for awnings and dogs I think.
Please let me know asap
Look forward to seeing you all this year as we have had a long gap and I have forgotten how to use my kit 😁
Thanks
Sheila
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- 14 replies

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Craig,
Sharing Images
Craig posted a topic in Beginner Area,
The guides do not show you how to use each of the services, only how to share an image you've already uploaded.
Flickr
OneDrive
AstroBin
Dropbox
EMS Gallery
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- 0 replies

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Craig,
We're back, and with upgrades!
Craig posted a topic in Information & Announcements,
EMS has been upgraded to the latest software that runs our software, bringing with it some improvements (stuff you won't really care about, like better spam defense) and a significant new feature.
Web App Push Notifications
If you're on Android and use the default web browser, you can create a web app using Chrome which adds EMS to your smart phone screen, like an app, which will allow push notifications. I'm not an Android user so that's as much as I know, but if you want to know more you can check out the instructions for adding a website as a web app, provided by Google, here: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/9658361?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en
Achievements
The headline features for this update are the new rank system and achievements.
Previously, forum ranks were based solely on how much you posted in the forum and gallery. Each post or gallery image added "1" point towards your overall rank. That meant the only way to increase your forum rank was to post content, with no credit given for other activities, such as giving and receiving reactions. These old ranks have been replaced with new ones, which are more visible and based on more than just content created in the forum and gallery. You now earn points towards your rank by posting in the forums, uploading images to the gallery, reacting to posts (which gives reputation to the poster), receiving reputation, having your content followed or being followed by another member. The more you interact with each other in various ways, the more points are earned towards your forum rank.
You can also earn badges by performing certain actions. Newer members can earn a badge by making their first post, or replying a few times to posts, while more established members can earn badges by posting their 500th post or by receiving the..................
- 14 replies

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Craig,
Kelling 2021: Check Your Email
Daz Type-R posted a topic in Kelling 2021,
Looks like they are basing 2021 entry on 2020 bookings, so you are automatically entered into the same pitch, same time frame ETC.
It is all explained on the e-mail but there is a time limit to book / make alterations, so please check your e-mails.
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- 25 replies

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Craig,
Kelling 2021 4th - 11th October 2021
Sheila posted a topic in Kelling 2021,
they do not require their pitch. Once we have the list I can then send out booking references to book at Kelling this year
Sheila
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- 35 replies

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Craig,
Kelling: Keep Informed
Sheila posted a topic in Kelling 2020,
- 106 replies

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Craig,
EMS Upgrade Complete
Craig posted a topic in Information & Announcements,
Thank you all for your patience while the website was offline.
Reminder: the first step in fixing any bugs is to clear your browser cache! 😉
New Features...
- 16 replies

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Craig,
EMS Upgrade
Craig posted a topic in Information & Announcements,
East Midlands Stargazers will be down, this Saturday, while a software upgrade and server migration are performed.
What's changing?
EMS is being modernised, once again, to bring us up to modern standards and introduce a few new features.
Customisation options
You'll be able to customise the way EMS looks and feels according to your own preferences, including the use of a light or dark theme (see the next paragraph)...
- 6 replies

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Craig,
Important: Internet Explorer Support Ending
Craig posted a topic in Information & Announcements,
- 2 replies

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Craig,
NHS Heroes
Craig posted a topic in Martyn's Coffee Shop,
- 2 replies

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Craig,
Dates For Your Diaries
+Bino-viewer posted a topic in General Astronomy Discussion,
Some Astro show dates for your diary's.
European Astrofest 2020 : Friday January 31 + Saturday February 1st Kensington, London. (yes, its early this year !) Links below for full details :
https://europeanastrofest.com
Practical Astronomy Show 2020 : Saturday 21 March 2020 Kettering Show link and speaker info just released below :
https://practicalastroshow.com/speakers/?fbclid=IwAR1ZGlvAG2q_OUcRbKzONo8E9puSIqyN9ABnqfNWEtu3g5FyOp8TJFkDv_M
International Astronomy Show 2020 : Dates in November to be confirmed. Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. Link below to homepage for more info :
https://www.ukastroshow.com
After 15 consecutive visits to Astrofest, i have decided to give it a miss this year 😓
Reasons include me being disappointed with the show in 2018 & 2019, the travel involved, as well as 2 other shows closer to home.
But i will definitely be at the PAS in March and almost certainly at the IAS in November as well.
I thought the PAS was excellent last year, and for a first show for them, they hit the ground running and its all for free !!
@Derbyshire Dave : you may be interested in the 'APT' talk ?
Hopefully i'll see some of you there in Kettering ??
Regards, Rob 😀
- 14 replies

Ibbo's IC 405
+Ibbo posted a topic in Deep Space Objects (DSOs),
3 x 1800 S2
3 x 1800 Ha
1x 1800 O3
Tak102 reduced to 5.7
- 3 replies
.jpeg.e65655ae77cafac825eeb5c294c1bd8b.jpeg)
Prism Shoot Out
Nightspore posted a topic in General Astronomy Discussion,
Baader Planetarium Prism Diagonal T-2/90deg and Takahashi TAKSD1
These two prism diagonals were also compared against a third which is a 1.25" Baader Zeiss Amici (also equipped with a helical focuser).
Baader Zeiss Amici
The target was primarily a setting twilight Venus, although I also intended to view Saturn as it was in conjunction with Venus on the 11th of December. I didn’t have much time before both planets were too low so I primarily used an 18mm Astro Hutech, giving 69x. Venus was very bright and easily seen early on with a 25mm AH orthoscopic. For Venus I also employed a Baader Double Polarising filter.
Venus/Saturn conjunction
The Tak’ was up first.
It is a lightweight diagonal and I have read reviews stating that the housing is plastic. I'm pretty sure it isn't and is a light metal alloy or possibly aluminium. I'm not so sure about the base plate, but I'm not totally convinced it isn’t also metal. It could very well be be a hard type of plastic. Unlike the Baader diagonals there is no filter thread in the nosepiece. Some have complained about the Tak's plastic collet snagging undercuts. I haven’t had any real problems although it helps if you use smoothies and barrels with shallow undercuts or those with lower lip flares (GSO, Tele Vue). The TAKSD1 gave a bright, sharp image with no light scatter and easily revealed the Venusian phase. The conventional Baader was next, followed by the Amici. Apart from the mirror reversing I could tell no difference between the Tak’ and the Amici. There was no hint of the prism roof with the Zeiss Amici. The Baader Planetarium T-2 also gave a sharp image, although I thought it was fractionally darker.
The amount was almost imperceptible though and may have been my imagination. As Saturn became more prominent I switched all three to that.
I can't choose a real winner. The Takahashi gave a bright, sharp image as did the Baader Zeiss Amici. The Baader bog-standard wasn't really any different and had the advantage over the Tak' of having a helical focuser. The Takahashi and standard Baader diagonals are about the same price.
- 5 replies

3 Months' Meteor Hits
Al.Grant posted a topic in Comets, Asteroids, Meteors & Meteorites,
Although I've not really posted any results, my meteor detector has been running since mid August without too many major issues. It's tucked away in a corner and I often forget it's still running.
I've finally got around to updating my spreadsheet from the data automatically captured by the Spectrum Lab RMOB files.
I had a few problems in September with local interference causing some crazy readings (hundreds per hour in some cases), i zeroed out those that were obviously wrong.
I'm fairly certain some of it was due to heavy electrical equipment being used over the road and in direct line of sight of the antenna.
October and November were both much better with good levels of hits per day and no problems from external interference.
September:
October:
November:
I've seen posts on the RMOB facebook page of people detecting Elon Musk's Starlink chain as it goes over Southern France.
I've checked my captures and not seen anything that I can link to the pass times ...... which is good as I don't actually want them!
Current RMOB data for December: This is live so will update each hour with the latest results.
Al
- 5 replies

Dave's Mr Blobby
+Derbyshire Dave posted a topic in Lunar,
Still, pleased with this, 500 frames on the ASI183MM through the GT81, processed in Autostakkert and Registax..
- 2 replies

Picture of the Month
philjay posted a topic in Picture of the Month,
A poor month clear sky wise unfortunately but some hardy folk have been out there catching photons, well done all.
- 10 replies

Merry Xmas or Bah Humbug?
Craig posted a topic in Information & Announcements,
- 9 replies

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Craig,
Hubble image / Todays 'APOD' - Hoag's object PGC 54599
+Bino-viewer posted a topic in General Astronomy Discussion,
If you don't i thought i'd share todays image with you.
What an amazing object, from the Amazing Hubble Space Telescope !
It's known as Hoag's object or Hoag's galazy.
Its very faint at Magnitude 16 and is located in the constellation of Serpens, and is a mere 600 million light years away.
It doesn't have NGC classification and is listed as PGC (Principle galaxy catalogue) 54599
If only i could see something like that from my own telescope ?!! 😀🔭
- 4 replies

Seven Sisters
Chris P. posted a topic in Deep Space Objects (DSOs),
- 5 replies

Happy Halloween
+Derbyshire Dave posted a topic in Deep Space Objects (DSOs),
Had major issue with the laptop dying last week. Thankfully a replacement motherboard sorted it, or I would have been stuffed for EMS5!.
So, having played with SGPro at Kelling for the first time, including autofocus on filter changes, I was keen to try it out at home. This is a single evenings images. Only 8x10 minute exposures on each of the Sii, Ha, and Oiii filters, so noise could be a bit better. Still, very pleased to have got this in one evening..
- 9 replies

Heart Nebula
+Graham posted a topic in Deep Space Objects (DSOs),
Considering the conditions I am amazed it turned out like it did.
600 second subs in HA, OIII and SII with a combined total time of 7 hours.
Williams Optics GT 81 with 0.6 FR /FF.
QSI 683 WSG.
Captured and stacked in Maxim.
Beaten into submission in PS 6.
- 5 replies

Steve's M31 LRGB
+Ibbo posted a topic in Deep Space Objects (DSOs),
I will try to get some ha before I call this finished.
- 3 replies